I have just finished work on our custom pinball machine “America’s Most Haunted” which has entered production and started shipping. You can read more about it here. I’ll also make a large, in-depth article about it on this site once I get a chance.

I’ve been working non-stop on this game, The Ben Heck Show, and other commissioned work since mid 2012. It’s time for a break.

I’m going to be limiting my non-show commission work to 8 billable hours per week for the foreseeable future. This includes single-handed controllers, prototype work for companies and individuals, basically anything outside of our show. If you’d like to contact me about a project you may do so at benjamin.heckendorn@gmail.com. Keep in mind that this time allotment will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The automatic Paypal links for the single handed controllers will be coming down during this time as well. If you’re still in need of a controller, please contact me via email. I will probably spin the production of those back up in time for the holidays. I know there’s a great need for them, but there is also a great need, personally, for my sanity.

In the latest episode of our show I tackle this problem by building a PC gaming keyboard with Analog WASD keys. How hard – or rather far – you press the keys, the faster your character moves in that direction.

To those who might ask “Why not just use a Teensy HID as joystick?” the answer is I tried but it wouldn’t map to the same axis as an Xbox 360 controller. Xbox 360 controller “just works” on most games since they’re just console ports anyway (next generation please get here already!)

Season 3 of our show begins with a 2 part episode in which we build an Anti-Teen-Texting Device that parents can install in their kid’s car. Of course in my day this problem would have been solved by 1) cell phones barely existing 2) my parents would never have bought me one if they had 3) they also didn’t buy me a car …but I digress.

If you’re going to the Chicago Pinball Expo later this week, be sure to check out our panel at 4:00 PM Friday, October 19th!

It’s “The Mystery and Science of Pinball Theater”! See our amazing video riff of classic Bally-Williams promo videos, using Spooky Pinball’s perfect replicas of some famous hot-glue robots. This is followed by a live “game show” where the audience can win a bunch of great prizes from Spooky Pinball sponsors.

I just can’t stop building portable 3D printers! Check out my new printrbotGO – an all new design in collaboration with printrbot.com

The goal here was to create an interesting, functional, sturdy design and then have it be available pre-built or as a kit. This is the first prototype and will be demonstrated at World Maker Faire New York weekend of September 28th – 30th.